Needle selective tufting machine and method of tufting



J. H. BOYLES March 9, 1965 NEEDLE SELECTIVE TUF'TING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TUFTING Filed Dec. 19, 1957 5 Sheets$heet 1 N9 mp OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOQOOO INVENTOR.

JOHN H. BOYLES ATTORNEY March 9, 1965 J. H. BOYLES ,3

NEEDLE SELECTIVE TUF'TING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TUFTING Filed Dec. 19, 1957 5 Sheet's-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN H. BOYLES FIG. 2 BY ATTORNEY March 9, 1965 J. H. BOYLES 3,172,380

NEEDLE smzcrrm:v TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TUFTING Filed Dec. 19, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. JQHN H. BOYLES BY ZMN an.

ATTORNEY March 9, 1965 J. H. BOYLES 3,172,330

NEEDLE SELECTIVE. TUF'TING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TUFTING Filed Dec. 19, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JOHN H. BOYLES ATTORNEY March 9, 1965 J. H. BOYLES 3,172,380

NEEDLE SELECTIVE. TUFTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF TUFTING Filed Dec. 19, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOHN H. BOYLES BY g4) ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,l72,38 Patented Mar. Q, 1965 3,172,380 NEEDLE SELECTHVE 'IUFTING MACHlNE AND METHGD F TUFIING John H. Boyles, Rte. 4, Dalton, Ga. Filed Dec. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 733,818 21 Qiairns. (Cl. 112-79) This invention relates to a needle selective tufting machine and method of tufting, and is more particularly concerned with a tufting machine having means for selectively actuating needles for sewing inlaid multicolor cut pile fabric, the product therefrom and a method of producing an inlaid multicolor tufted pattern in base fabric.

In the past ten to twenty years, the cutting industry has increased in size, beginning with chenille bedspreads and small rugs and progressing to large and relatively complicated fabrics employing both out and looped piles. Throughout this growth there has been a constant demand for machines which will impart to the fabric a pattern derived from the sewed piles.

Recently, patterns have been imparted to the fabric by varying the height of the loops of the looped pile fabric by restraining the yarns as the needles of a multineedle tufting machine move downwardly to thereby rob the preceeding loop by a predetermined amount. The product of this process has become known in the trade as Sculptured or high-low loop pile fabric. Other methods of varying the pattern in the tufted fabric include the transverse actuation of the base fabric while sewing the highlow loop pile.

While these prior art methods provide a fabric having a very pleasing appearance, each is limited, in substantially all instances, to looped pile fabric and to a single color in each line of tufts.

In machines for the oversewing of looped pile fabric and in bedspread machines, control of the individual needles has been attempted. Such machines include a single transversely arranged group of needles, which, in most instances, are removed from the fabric by spring action and may be individually actuated mechanically when sewing of a selected needle is desired. Such machines have not proved entirely satisfactory because if the spring fails or is not sufiiciently strong to overcome the friction of the needle bar, the needle will remain embedded in the fabric though the fabric is moved through the machine. Thus a longitudinal rip will be caused in the fabric and a second" or unusable product is produced. Many other difficulties are encountered in the use of these prior art selectively actuated needle machines including the wear on the pattern employed to actuate the machine.

To provide an extremely versatile machine which is capable of imparting a highly complicated multicolor pattern to the cut pile fabric, and to obviate the prior art disadvantages described above, I have devised a multineedle tufting machine having a plurality of tandem arranged needles which are individually actuatable, the actuation and deactuation of the needle bars taking place only when the needle is completely withdrawn from the fabric. Also incorporated with my machine is a means for timing the needles of each line of pile whereby alternate inlaid colors may be sewed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a needle selective tufting machine for sewing a plurality of color along any line of pile in the fabric.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tufting machine in which the needle bars are individually engageable and disengageable with the drive mechanism only when the needles are withdrawn from the fabric.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tufting machine having aligned needles any one, all or none of which may be positively actuated as desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a needle selective tufting machine which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable in structure and efficient in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a needle selective tufting machine which has a positive action mechanism having few springs and the like which may cause the machine not to operate.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism and method of producing a cut pile fabric having high or low tufts in longitudinal line.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of sewing cut pile fabric to provide a multicolor design.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tufted pile fabric product which has a new structure providing a pleasing appearance.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and where- FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear or back elevational view of a tufting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1, with parts deleted, and showing the back needle bar in the engaged or sewing position, the front needle bar in the disengaged position, and the cam ming member at bottom dead center.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the back needle bar in the disengaged position, the front needle bar in the engaged position, and the camming member at top dead center.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of details with parts removed and corresponding operatively to FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 4 and corresponding operatively to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along lines 66 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a vertical fragmentary cross sectional view taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the pattern control mechanism for the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram on a reduced scale showing the operation of the machine of FIG. 1 with the control mechanism of FIG. 8, together with the electrical circuit therebetween.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the base fabric showing a few piles sewed by two tandem arranged needles of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

While I envision machines having any number of needles in tandem so that any of a plurality of colors may be sewed in a single line, for purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown a simplified form of the invention having only a front and back row of needles.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment selected or purpose of illustrating the inventive concept of the present invention, which is but one definitive form, the frame structure of my machine includes a pair of rectangular housings 10 and 11 which are spaced from each other as shown in FIG. 1. Housing It) includes an inner plate 12 and an outer plate 13 spaced from each other by side plates 14, 14' which extend inwardly beyond plate 12. Similarly, housing 11 is provided with inner plate 15 and an outer plate 16 spaced from each other by side plates 1'7, 17. Side plates 17, 17' also extend inwardly beyond inner plate 15. These housings it) and 11 are I scribed.

' to the mechanism hereinafter described.

FIGS. 2 and 3, camming member 7G is provided along mounted on suitable flooring 18, seen in FIG. 9, and provide support for the remaining frame structure.

Mounted respectively on the top of housings 10 and 11 are a pair of-opposed, upstanding brackets 19 and 20 which support therebetween a plurality of perforated, solenoid supporting platforms 21, 22 and 23, one above the other. Below these platforms and welded by their ends to the inner corner edges of the side plates 14, 14',

17, 17' are angle irons forming the longitudinal struts 24, 25, 26 and 27 of the frame structure. struts 24 and are provided with a leaf supporting platform 28 as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Fixed by bolts, such as bolt 2?, the lower face of the lower rear strut 27 is a guide supporting bar 30 having an outwardly extending flange 31 provided with'a plurality of longitudinally aligned holes, such as hole 32,

through which yarns, such as yarn 33 are fed. The ends of bar 30 are welded respectively to, inner plates 12 and 15, as shown in FIG. 1. The irmer surface of bar 39 is milled out to provide a plurality of evenly spaced recesses having a flange 41 with holes, such as hole 42, therein,

to receive yarns, such as .yarn 43. Extending inwardly from the recesses of guide supporting bar are guide members, such as guide member 44, which project into a cradle supporting bar 36. The guide members 'are secured in place by rods 45 and 47.

Centrally supported within the frame structurecradle supporting bars 36 and as is a channel member or cradle having a base 5% and sides 51 and 52. This cradle extends between the inner'plates 12 and 1S and supports the needle actuating mechanism hereinafter to be de- This cradle is fixed to cradle supporting bars 36 and 46 by bolts, such as bolts '53 and 54, passing through base 5t Depending from base 50 are a plurality of sleeves having set screws 56, the sleeves 55 adjustably receiving respectively a plurality of stub shafts 57'. These stub shafts 5'7 are fixed to and support a presser foot 58 which is normally suspended over the base fabric 59, denoted by broken lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Presser foot 53 has a plurality of holes tl provided along each edge and through which the needles of the machine pass.

Extending upwardly from the-cradle are a plurality of equally spaced partition members, such as partition member 61, the lower ends of which are welded to base 59 and sides 51, 52. These partition members, such as member 61, provide support for the main bearings,

' such as hearing 62. Additional'main bearings 63 and 64 V are provided in the upper positions of inner plates 12 and 15, respectively. These main bearings 62, 63 and 64 support for rotation a drive shaft 65 which extends from a position inwardly adjacent outer plate 16 through inner plate 15, then through the partition members, such as partition member 61. Thence shaft ,65 extends through inner plate 12 and outer plate 13 to terminate outwardly adjacent outer plate 13. Any suitable power means .(not shown) may be. employed for rotating main shaft 65. For purpose of illustration, 1 have provided a pulley 66 which may be driven by means of a belt 67 shown in FIG. 9.

Againrcferring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen ming members, such as cam member 70, which are eccentrically mounted discs to impart a reciprocating motion As seen in The upper its periphery with a camrning surface 71. Bearing bars 72 and 73 are respectively mounted above and below camming member 7%? and are provided w th bearing 7 plates 74 and 75 for cooperating with the bearing surface 71. Joining the ends of bearing bars 72 and 73 together are a pair of vertically disposed guide rods 76 and 77 which extends on both sides of bearing member'itl and below bearing bar 73. Guide rods 72' and 73 are journalled for slideable movement-in bushings 78 and '79 carried by a bearing block 8t) fixcdly disposed between sides 51 and 52. Extending from the central portion of upper bearing bar '72 is another guide rod 81 which is journalled for slideable movement in bushing 32 carried by an appropriate bearing block 83 on leaf supporting plate 28. Thus, upon rotation of shaft 65, bearing bars 2 and'73 will be reciprocated vertically as guide rods 72, 73 and 81 slide in their respective bushings. 7

It is to be'understoo d that 'several reciprocable assemblies are disposed at intervals along the cradle. All such assemblies are synchronized: to reciprocate in unison for bers 84 and 85 are in a horizontal plane with each other and extend substantially the distance between inner plates 12 and f5. Outwardly protruding from both needle bar engaging members 84 and 8d are engaging flanges 86 and 57. It will now be seen that when shaft 65 is rotated, the reciprocable assemblies will move the needle bar engaging members 84 and 35 upwardly and downwardly in a vertical path.

Positioned. outwardly adjacent needle bar engaging member 34 are the rear needle bars fi -d'which are slideably' carried between adjacent guide members, such as guide member 45. Needle barsfiil project upwardly through appropriate apertures 8? in leafsupporting plate 28. Each of the needle bars 88-is a long parallelogram bar provided at its lower outer edge with a recess 9d a which thus provides ashoulder 91 having ahole'thr'ough which yarn 33 is fed to a conventional needle 92 pro-. jecting from the lower end of the needle bar. Projecting inwardly to aboutthe front edges of all needle bars 88 is a resilient bumper. 95,:preferablymade :of rubber, which is carried by a spacer bar 94 connected along the lower edge of guide supporting bar 3%. Thus, as each. of the needle bars 88 is moved to its top position, bumper d3 engages yarns, such as yarn 33, to prevent the pulling of additional yarn through the needles, such as needle 92.

At the upper position of each of the needle bars 88, the front edge is cut away to provide adeactuation notch 95. Similarly, but'at a position loweron the inner edge of each of the needle bars 88, I have provided another notch 96 for selective cooperation with engaging flange 86 to cause actuation of'each of needle bars 88 when the notch, such as notch '96,-is engaged. From an examination of FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that when theneedle bar is in a vertical position notch 96 is engaged by flange 86,-and when the needle bar is slightly pivoted from the'vertical position about guide supporting bar 30, flange will not be .engaged in notch 1%.

The front needle' bars 98 are mirror copies of the rear needle bars 83 and are carried in tandem alignment therewith by complementary partsj Needle bars tl pro ject through apertures 9?. ,Since needle jbarsfid are operated in a manner identical to the operation of needle bars 83, it is deemedsufi'icient for the purpose of this disclosure merely to list the elements ofeach needle bar. Each of needle bars g t includes a recess 1%, shoulder ltll, needleltlZ, notches and 1% and cooperate with resilient bumper ltliand' spacer barrltl. V

Mounted on leaf supporting plate- 28 adjacent; the upper, ends of needle bars 88 is a longitudinal. block 167 secured in place by 'areinforcing plate 108 "and bolts 169. At intervals, corresponding to the spacing of needle bars 88, block 11 is drilled transversely to provide spring recesses, such as recess 11% in FIGS. 2 and 3. Plungers, such as plunger 111, are carried by these recesses and each plunger is provided with a needle bar engaging head 112 resiliently urged against its needle bar by spring 113. The other end of the plungers, such as 111, projects outwardly of block 167 and is threaded to receive adjustment nuts the other ends of which receives set screws 114'. Thus, upon rotation any of nuts 114, the position of its corresponding head, such as head 112, may be varied whereby needle bars 88 are normally urged to a vertical position with flange 86 engaging in the notches, such as notch 5 6. From an examination of P16. 1, it will be seen that for convenience, the nuts 114 and hence the corresponding plungers may be staggered with respect to each other.

Along the inner surface of block 167 is a longitudinally extending flange 115 which is adapted to cooperate with the notches of needle bars 88, such as notch 95, to hold the selected needle bars 38 out of sewing en agement when the particular needle bar is pivoted from its vertical position, as shown in FIG. 3. Immediately below flange 115, block 11?! is provided with a plurality of r cesses which receive the ends of a plurality of guide members, such as guide member 116. These guide members are connected to block 167 in a manner similar to the connecting of guide member 34 in place, the other end of the guide members, such as guide member 116 is received within slotted recesses in a leaf guide block 117.

Similarly, adjacent the front needle bars @8 is a block 127 corresponding to block 167. Block 127 is retained in place by plate 128 and bolts 129 and includes a plurality of plunger assemblies each within a recess, such as recess 139, and each including a plunger 131 having a head 132, spring 133, adjustment nut 13 i and set screws 134. Block 127 has a flange 135 and a plurality of guide members, such as guide member 136, connected between block 127 and a leaf guide block 137, all coinplementary to the flange 115, guide member 116 and guide block 117.

Arranged above the needle bars 8% are a plurality of solenoids 146 which corresponds in number to the number of needle bars 88. The solenoids 1619 are arranged on the solenoid supporting platforms 21, 22 and 23, whereby the plungers 141 of each solenoid project through apertures in the platforms 21, 22 and 23 to terminate in a position aligned transversely with respective needle bars 38 and inwardly thereof. Links 142 are pivotally connected to the ends of plungers 14-1 and in turn are pivotally connected respectively to thin keys or leaves 143. A plurality of recesses are milled from block 117 to receive these leaves 143 and hold them respectively, adjacent the inner edge of needle bars 88. The lower inner corner of each of leaves 143 is notched, such as the notch 144, shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Notch 14- 1- is adapted to cooperate with a ledge on block 117 to hold the needle bar in its pivoted, non-sewing position. Above the notch 144 of each leaf is an open ended slot 145 which materially reduces the width of each of leaves 143 at that point. When any of solenoids 141} is energized, that solenoid lifts its leaf to a position where its slot, such as slot 14-5, is aligned with a longitudinally extending, inwardly opening slot 146 in block 117.

In complementary manner, solenoids 156, having plungers 151, links 152, leaves 153 with notches 154 and open ended slots 155 for alignment with slot 156, are provided for the front needle bars 98.

The mechanism for cooperation with leaves 148 for causing each of needle bars 83 and 98 selectively to be shifted from the vertical position to the pivoted position or, in other words, from the sewing to the non-sewing position, is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. This mechanism includes a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending shafts 166 and 161 which carry a plurality of upwardly and outwardly extending lever arms, such as arms 162 and 163. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, shafts 160, 161 are journalled respectively in bushings, such as bushings 164 in block 86*. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, lever arms 162 and 163 are urged toward each other by spring means 165 located above shafts 161 161. Above spring means 16:; is the main drive shaft 65 which is bracketed by lever arms 162, 163. Drive shaft 65 is provided with cams 166 and 167 which have raised portions for cooperation respectively with cam follower 168 on lever arm 162 and cam follower 169 on lever arm 163. Thus, upon each revolution of shaft 65, lever arms 162 and 163 will be simultaneously urged or pivoted outwardly. It will be understood that several lever arms, such as front lever arm 162, are provided along shaft 16d, and complementary lever arms, such as lever arm 163 are provided along shaft 1611.

Along the upper ends of the lever arms, such as arm 162, is a leaf engaging bar 176. A complementary leaf engaging bar 171 is provided along the tops of the lever arms, such as arm 163. These leaf engaging bars are adapted to extend, respectively, into slots 146 and 156 each time the levers are actuated; the cams, such as cams 165 and 167, being shaped and synchronized to cause the lever arms 162, 163 to pivot outwardly as the reciprocatable assemblies including needle bar engaging members 34 and. reach top dead center. Thus, if at this time a solenoid, such as solenoids 140 or 150, is energized, the leaf carried by that. solenoid will be raised to a position Where the slot, such as slots 14-5 or 155, will be aligned with slots 146 or 156; and, hence, the bars 170 and 171 will project into these slots and Will not cause the needle bar associated with that leaf to be tilted from its vertical position. If, however, any of the solenoids 14-0, 15 3 are not energized, the leaves, such as leaves 143 and 153, will remain down and the bars 170 and 171 will strike the wide portions above the slots, such as slots 145 and 155, and acting against leaves 143 and 153 will overcome the compressive force exerted against the respective needle bars 88 and 89 by springs such as springs 116 and 130 acting through heads 112, 132. With the spring tension overcome, the particular needle bars affected, which are at this time in the retracted positions, will be pivoted outwardly; whereby, notches, such as notches and 165, will be engaged by flanges and 135, while notches, such as notches 96 and 106, will be removed from flanges 86 and 87. The raised portion of cams 166 and 16'"! extend over a sufiicient area that bars 176 and 171 will force the affected needle bars out to the pivoted position for a sufficient length of time that flanges 86 and 37 clear the notches 96 and 1&6.

Below presser foot 58 are a pair of opposed longitudinaily extending angle irons or beams 200, 261 which are secured by their ends to inner plates 12 and 15. Extending parallel to and between beams 260, 201 is a T beam 262, also connected to inner plates 12 and 15. The upper surfaces of beams 20%, 261 and 262 are in the same plane and provide support for the work platform hereinafter to be described. Bolted, by bolts such as belt 204, to beam 260 is a rectangular bar 205 which has a plurality of milled transverse slots. A similar but larger rectangular bar 2196 is secured to the upper surface of T beam 262 by bolts 2127. This bar 266 also has transverse slots aligned with the slots of bar 265. On the upper surface of beam 261 is bar 2&8 which has slots aligned with the slots in the previous bars, however the thickness of bar 268 is greater than the thickness of the previous bars. Bar 263 is secured by bolts, such as bolt 269. A plurality of grate members, such as member 216, are carried in the aligned slots of bars 265, 267, and 208 whereby suflicient space is left between adjacent grate members for the needles such as needles 92 and 1% to pass through between them,

it being understood that the each pair of aligned tandem arranged needles consisting of a front and a back needle will pass between the same adjacent grate members. The upper surfaces of the grate members, such as member 213 is flush with the upper surface of bar 2th; to present a uniform surface to the incoming fabric 59.

larly, below the front row of needles is the front looper shaft 215 having loopers, such as looper 216, and the front knife shaft 217 having knives, such as knife 218.

The drive for the looper mechanisms described above is best seen in FIG. 6. This drive includes an eccentrically mounted wheel or cam 219 in housing 11 on the end of V shaft 65. Cam 219 is surrounded by an annulus or cam follow 22% provided with a pitman 221 which is reciprocated substantially vertically upon rotation of shaft 65. At the end of pitman 221,is a pivotally connected lever 222, the end of which isfixed to shaft 215. interlocked for simultaneous rocking with shaft 215 is shaft 211, the interlock mechanism including arms 223 and 223 which depend respectively from shafts 215 and 2111, and a pivotally connected link 224 extending between the ends of these arms 222, 223:. Thus, upon rotation of shaft 65, shafts 221 and 215 will be simultaneously rocked back and forth by means of the drive mechanism just described. Also extending from shafts 215 and 211, respectively, are lever arms 224 and 225 which are provided with pivotally connected links 226 and 227, in turn connecting with arms 228 and 229, respectively. Arms 228 and 229 are fixed to shafts 217 and 213 and thus provide for simultaneous rocking of theseshafts in unison with shafts 215 and 2H. 7 As is usual in multineedle tufting machines of this general class, the base fabric 59 is pulled through the machine between presser foot 59 and the platen or work platform of the machine comprising grate member 210. The mechanism for pulling or feeding the fabric 59 through the machine includes three feed rollers such as rollers I and 231, all provided with sand paper peripheries. These feed rollers are spaced from each other, however, they are geared together at one end .by intermeshing gears 232, 233 and 234. On the front of my machine in alignment with the feed roller, I have provided a pair of stretcher rollers (not shown), the purpose of these rollers, oper- "ated at a higher peripherical speed than the feed rollers,

is to thereby stretch thebase fabric 59 as it passes beneath the various needles of the machine. These stretcher rol ers are provided with intermeshed gear wheels 235 and 236, as seen in PEG. 6. The feed rollers aredriven through a gear reducer 237 driven by a belt 238 leading from the main drive. shaft 65, as shown in FIG. 7. 'Also driven from gear reducer 237 is a sprocket 239 which drives continuous link chain 240. Chain 24d drives sprocket 241' connected to the shaft of one of the stretcher rollers, (not shown). It is noted that sprocket 23% has a larger. number of cogs than sprocket 241, and hence the feed roll rs will be driven at a slower peripheral speed than the stretcher rollers.

It will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 7 that for maintaining tension on belt 238, I have provided an idler pulley 242 riding against belt 233 and carried by a pivot arm 243, the end of which is pivotally connected to outer'plate 313.

7 As seen in FIG. 1, the shaft 244 from roller 2319 ex- 1 tends outwardly beyond outer plate 13 and is provided witha pulley 245, shown in FIG. 9. The pulley 2:35 drives a continuous belt 246 which leads to pulley 247. Pulley 247 drives shaft 248 of the control mechanism hereinafter to be described.

, The control mechanism includes a pair of spaced, upstanding brackets 250, 251'niounted on flooring '18 adjacent the frame structure of the multineedle tufting machine previously described. Brackets 250, 251 journal for rotation, the shaft 248 which supports a drum 252 having a copper or electrically conducting periphery. A brush 2'53 rides against the periphery of drum 252 and makes electrical contact therewith. Brush 253 is provided with a cable254 leading to one terminal of a battery 255 (or other source of electric current), the other terminal of which-is grounded at ground 256..

Above the drum 252 is a brush holder 257 carrying sensing means such as a plurality of brushes 258 which are spaced from each other along holder 257 to make contact with the periphery of drum 252' along anaxial line eX- tending substantially one-half the length, of drum 252. The other half of drum252 is provided with similar brushes 259 supported by brush holder 269. 'Each of brushes 258 are connected by a conduit, sucha's conduit 261 to terminals of rear solenoids 14%, the other-terminals of which are grounded through'wires, such as'wire 26 2. Similarly, conductors, such as conductor 253, lead from a each of brushes 25? to respective terminals of solenoids 150, the other terminals of which are grounded'by means of wires, such as wire'264. Therefore, if noinsulation were provided for the periphery of drum 252, all solenoids litl and 159 would be energized, thereby rendering operasingle piece of insulating material which is about one-half the length of drum 252 and a width corresponding to the perimeter of drum 252. The portion which is cutaway from they insulating sheet forms sheet 266 and the portion remaining forms sheets 265. Therefore, sheet 265 is complementary to sheet 2e6,and when these sheets are affixed to the periphery of drum 252 one sheet would cover an increment of the first half of drum 252 while the correspending increment of theother half of thedrum radially aligned with the first increment would be uncovered.

From an examination of'FIGSB and 9 it will be seen that brush holders 257 and 269 are offset radially with respect to each other. This offset corresponds to the distance between needles '92 and MP2 whereby, when the base fabric 59 has travelled the distance between needles MP2 and 92, drum 252 has rotated through an are defined by brush holds 257 and 26-9. Hence the increment on the first half of drum. 252 which insulates the periphery and deactuates one of the solenoids Mt) (having a corresponding uninsulated increment radially aligned on the other half of a drum 252'for actuating one of the solenoids ESQ in tandem or transverse alignment with the aforesaid deactuated solenoid) must travel the arcuate distance between brushes 259 and 258 before the uninsulated increment comes beneath its brush of brushes 258 to cause the actuation of that aligned solenoid 15d, and in that'time the base fabric will have travelled the distance between needle 1G2 and needle /2. Therefore, in the particular pattern here described, a continuous line of alternate yarn will be sewed.

Operation Summarizing the operation of the machine hereinbefore described, it will now be understood that various colored Therefore, I provide I a shown) and between the presser foot 58 and the platform defined by grate members, such as grate member 21%, to the feed rollers, such as feed rollers 239, 231. Next, the height of presser foot 58 is adjusted by loosening set screws 56 and sliding shafts 57 upwardly or downwardly as desired. Thereafter set screws 56 are tightened.

In the process of setting up my machine, it will be understood that the insulated pattern sheets 265 and 266 have been installed as described above. Thereafter the machine is actuated by means of belt 67 to rotate shaft 65 thereby causing simultaneous rotation of the feed rollers, such as rollers 230, 231 and the stretcher rollers (not shown). This slowly feeds base fabric 59 across the platform of the machine. Drum 252 also, is rotated simultaneously in synchronization with the drive of the base fabric 59, thereby presenting to the brushes 258 and 259 intermittent insulated and uninsulated portions of the periphery of drum 252. As pointed out above, when an uninsulated portion of drum 252 is contacted by any one of brushes 258 or 259, a circuit to a particular solenoid, such as one of solenoids 146 or 150, is completed from battery 255, thereby energizing that solenoid. In FIG. 2, solenoid 140 is shown as energized and solenoid 150 as unenergized. In FIG. 3, just the reverse is shown with solenoid 140 being deenergized and solenoid 150 energized.

Upon the energization of, say solenoid 150, as shown in FIG. 3, leaf 153 supported through link 152 is lifted, thereby aligning slot 155 with slot 156. Thus, under these conditions, when shaft 65 has rotated urging member 71 to substantially top dead center, as shown in FIG. 3, flange 87 is aligned with notch 106 and spring 133, acting against head 132, urges needle bar 98 into its vertical position. Thus, engagement of notch 166 by flange 87 is caused. It is to be remembered that, as camming member 70 approaches top dead center, cams 166 and 1117 are rotated to the position shown in FIG. 5, thereby urging lever arms 162 and 163 outwardly, simultaneously. Therefore, leaf engaging bars 170 and 171 are inserted into slots 146 and 156 all along the length of the machine. These leaf engaging bars 170 and 171 strike all leaves 143 and which are not lifted by their respective solenoid 140 or 150. Leaf 153 in FIG. 3, however, has been lifted through the energization of solenoid 15th thereof, and hence, instead of striking leaf 153, in FIG. 3, the leaf engaging bar 171 projects into slot 155 and needle bar 98 remains in its vertical position. With the needle bars, having associated unenergized solenoid, such as needle bar 88 of FIG. 3, a wide portion of the leaves, such as leaf 143 is presented to the leaf engaging bar, such as bar 170 and hence, say bar 170, acting through leaf 143, urges needle bar 88 to a pivoted position against action of spring 113 and flange 115 receives notch 95.

Since leaf engaging bars 17d and 171 remain in their extended positions, as shown in FIG. 5, a sufiicient time for both flanges 86 and 87 to begin their downward travel, upon continued rotation of shaft 65, flanges 86 and 87 will no longer be aligned with the notches, such as notches 96 and 106 of the pivoted needle bars $8 and 98, and hence it is impossible for the needle bars to be pivoted back to their vertical position until the following cycle. Therefore, just the needle bars 88 or 98 which are associated with energized solenoids 141 or 1513 travel downwardly.

Referring now to the needle bar 98 of FIG. 5 which is carried downwardly by continued rotation of shaft 65, it is seen that the needle 162 of that needle bar will pass through one of holes 6t) and between adjacent grate members 210. When the needle bar' 98 has inserted yarn 43 to a predetermined depth in base fabric 59, looper 216 passes adjacent needle 1112, engaging the loop of yarn 43 and retaining it as needle 102 is carried upwardly. As camming member 7 0 again approaches dead center, shoulder 101 is carried adjacent bumper 103, and hence the feed of yarn 43 is momentarily interrupted because yarn 43 is squeezed between shoulder 181 and bumper 1%. In this phase the machines cycle, knife 213 is moved forward adjacent looper 216 to cut the closest loop retained by looper 2115. It will be understood that usually several loops of yarn 43 will be collected on the looper 216 before cutting action is completed and that the travel of base fabric 59 in a direction across my machine will urge such loops into engagement with knife 218 while such loops remain on the looper 216. Further, it is only after such loop is completely sewed that it is released by the looper.

Referring now to the needle bars which are pivoted to non-sewing position, it will be understood that during the travel of the flanges 86 and 87 downwardly, flanges 86 and 87 will ride against the inner surfaces of all nonsewing needle bars, urging them outwardly against spring action of springs 113 and 133, and that the notches such as notches 144 and 154 of the leaves will, when carnming member 7d approaches bottom dead center, engage the ledges of blocks 117 and 137, as shown for notch 154 in FIG. 2, thereby precluding the pivoting of any of the needle bars back to the vertical position until after the solenoid of the particular needle bar has been energized.

It is now clear that by energizing selected solenoids, any combination of needles of my machine may be caused to sew, and that the back needles may be caused to sew in spaces in the lines of pile where the front needles have not sewed, both as either of the tandem arranged needles being actuated respectively when desired at an exact place with respect to the base fabric 59. Therefore, the line of pile sewed by any pair of needles in tandem arrangement may be made to appear as a continuous line of pile, varying in color however.

FIG. 10 shows the cross section of one line of pile along base fabric 59 having the cut piles formed by yarns 33 and 43 when both the front and back needles 92 and 102 are simultaneously actuated. It will be understood that in the normal operation of my machine, base fabric 59 will be fed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 and that the back needle will be deactuated when pile formed from yarns 43 is beneath needle 92, and that through intermittent and simultaneous action of the front and back needles the piles of yarn 33 may be interspersed with the piles of yarns 43 along a single line of travel of base fabric 5%.

As is conventional in machines of this class the height of loopers 212 and 21% may be raised or lowered as desired, accompanied by the adjusting of tension on yarns 33 or 43 as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Therefore, by positioning loopers 215 at a height different from loopers 212 or vice versa, my machine may be made to sew high and low tufts in a single longitudinal line, needles 102 sewing pile of one height and needles 92 sewing pile of a different height, resulting in a patterned tufted fabric of multicolor and/ or multiheight piles.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other and varied control and actuation means may be employed for actuating and deactuation of the solenoids or the needle bars, and that full resort may be had to the use of equivalents without departing from the scope of my invention. Further, parts may be combined, made integral, or a single part made as several parts, and many other variations may be made in the single embodiment chosen to illustrate the inventive concept of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tufting machine, means for substantially continuously in a given direction feeding a base fabric therethrough, a plurality of sets of plural needles, said sets of needles being arranged in side by side relation, the needles of each set being arranged in succession in the line of travel of said fabric, means for individually supplying F. itufting yarn to eac-. needle of each set, and pattern control means for individually actuating each of said needles of each set to produce a continuous row of tufts along said base fabric 2. In a tufting machine, means for feeding substantially continuously in a given direction a base fabric therethrough, a plurality of sets of needles, the needles of each set being arranged in succession in the line of travel of said fabric, means for supplying individual types of wiring yarns to each individual needle of each set, and means for individually actuating each of said individual needles of each set, the needles of each set being arranged in parallel relation with like needles of each adjacent set, said actuating means providing for the independent selection of needle operation for each of said 'setsto produce continuous longitudinal rows of tufts in said base fabric.

3. In a tufting machine wherein yarns are inserted to predetermined depths in base fabric, as said base fabric travels in a given direction by rollers at a predetermined rate through said machine, a pair of needles aligned in the direction of travel of said fabric, said needles respectively individually carrying said yarns, needle reciprocating means timed with said rollers, and means for individually connecting and disconnecting to said reciprocating means either of said needles in preselected sequence for sewing piles of yarn including piles formed from yarn carried by One of the needles of said pair of needles, and piles formed from yarn carried by the other needle of said pair of needles, said last mentioned neans causing interspacing of said piles formed from yarn carried by one of said pair of needles between said piles formed from yarn carried by said other needle of said pair of needles to fornr a substantially single continuous line along the line of travel of said base fabric.

. 4. In a tufting machine having means for continuously feeding a base fabric in a given direction through said machine, a pair of spaced needle bars, a needle at one end of each of said needle bars for inserting yarn to a predetermined depth in base fabric as said base fabric travels through said machine, said needles being aligned longitudinally of the line of travel of said base fabric, means reciprocated in timed relationship to said means for feed-' ing said fabric and engageable with said needle bars for reciprocating said vneedle bars simultaneously for sewing action of said needles, means engagcable with said needle bars to selectively disengage either of them from said means engageable with said needle bars without effecting the engagement of the other needle bar with said means 'for reciprocating said needle bars, and means for selecposed transversely across the line of feed of said base fabric, a plurality of aligned back needle bars parallel to and spaced from said front needle bars, each needle bar of said plurality of front needle oars being aligned longitudinally with a complementary needle bar of said 'pluralityof back needle bars, reciprocation means reciprocated in timed relationship with the feed insert fabric and common to. all said needle bars for engagement by and reciprocation of saidneedle bars simultaneously, needles on the'ends of said needle bars for inserting yarns into said base fabric upon reciprocation of said needle bars, means below said base fabric for severing said yarns soon'afte'r the same have been inserted through said base fabric by said needles, means individual to each needle bar for disengaging any of said needle bars from said reciprocation means,

and control means controlling said'mcans for individual to each needle bar for disengaging said needle bars according to a predetermined pattern to cause sewing of piles of yarns by only certain of said needles according to said pattern. 7

6. In a sewing machine having a stationary frame, a

needle carrying yarn for insertion through a base fabric,

7. In a tufting machine, a plurality of vertically disposed laterally movable needle bars reciprocably mounted in said machine, actuation means for selectively actuating and selectively deactuating said needle bars to cause said needle bars to shift laterally or not shift, drive means dis posed between said needle bars for reciprocating said eedle bars in vertical paths in synchronism with each other, controlmeans synchronized with said drive means, sensing means associated With said control means for sensing changed conditions of increments of said control means and connected to said actuation means for affecting changes in said actuation means in response; to the changed conditions of said incrementawhereby said actuation means is caused to selectively actuate and dea'ctuate said needle bars. r a i 8. The structure definedin'claim '7 wherein said needle bars are provided with means selectively engageable with saiddrive means at arpredetermined time in thecycle of said drive means in response to the actuation means.

9. in a tufting machine in which base fabric is fed through the machine and yarnsare inserted through said base fabric by a plurality of needles, a frame, 'a pair of spaced needle bars carried by said frame and aligned in the line of travel of said base fabric, said needle bars being provided with notches on complementary portions thereof, rcciprocatable flange means in said frame adjacent'said needle bars and engag'eablc'by said notches to reciprocate said needle bars, means for reciprocating said flange means, said needle bars carrying said needles, there' being provided other notches onreach of said needle bars, sup: port means on said frame engageable by said other notches upon alignment of said othernotches with'said support means, spring means on said frame urging said needle bars into engage uent with said jflange 'rneans, leaves disposed in said frame adjacent said needle bars respectively, leaf engaging means carried by said'frame and reciprocatable in synchronization with the reciprocation of said flange means and alignedwith said leaves, said leaf engaging means being so constructed and arranged that upon each reciprocation thereof and when said leaves are respectively in their normal positions to urge said leaves against their needle bars'and when said other notches are aligned with said support means to simultaneously disengage said first mentioned notches from said' flange meansQeach of said leaves being moveable from its normal position to a position where said leaf engaging means no longer engages that leaf.

10. The structure defined in claim 9 including control means connected to 'each of said leaves for selectively and temporarily moving each of said leaves from its normal position according to a predetermined pattern.

11. The structure defined in claim '9 including control means connected to reach of saidleaves for selectively and temporarily moving each of said leaves from its normal position, and pattern means connected to said control means for selectively actuating said control means.

12. In a method of forming patterns in pile fabric,-the steps of feeding base fabric at a predetermined rate in a continuous line, holding apair of'dissirnilar yarns adjacent said fabric and in alignment with the line of travel of said base fabric,selectiyely in timed relationship to the feeding of said fabric inserting said pair of dissimilar yarns into said base fabric in'alignment along the line of travel of said fabric, said inserted arns being spaced from each othen'continuing the selcc e insertions of said yarns and controlling the spacing of the respective insertions of yarn according to a prescribed pattern to provide a substantially continuous line of piles having piles formed from one of said pair of yarns and piles formed from the other of said pair of yarns interspersed with respect to each other.

13. The method defined in claim 12 including forming a plurality of evenly spaced lines of piles along the line of travel of said base fabric and parallel to the aforesaid line of piles, each of said lines of piles being provided with interspersed piles aligned transversely with each other and formed from different yarns in the manner defined for the aforesaid line of piles, certain transversely aligned piles in each of said lines of piles and said line of piles being inserted in said base fabric simultaneously, certain other of the transversely aligned piles being inserted at a later time but simultaneously with the insertion of other of said piles spaced longitudinally therefrom.

14. A tufting machine comprising a frame, a motor on said frame, roller means driven by said motor in a given direction for moving a base fabric through said machine in continuous fashion, a plurality of needles above said base fabric, looper means below said base fabric, a laterally disposed drive bar for reciprocation in essentially a vertical path by said motor, said frame supporting said drive bar above said needles, a plurality of vertically disposed axially movable needle bars adjacent said drive bar in said frame, each needle bar carrying one of said needles, said needle bars being movable transversely of said machine into and out of engagement with said drive bar, support means on said frame for engagement by said needle bars when moved out of engagement with said drive bar, means for normally urging said needle bars into engagement with said drive bar, and actuation means for overcoming said means urging said needle bars int-o engagement with said drive bar for selectively moving said needle bars into engagement with said support means and out of engagement with said drive bar.

15. The structure defined in claim 14 including control means for actuating said actuation means, said control means being synchronized with the reciprocation of said reciprocating bar to actuate said actuation means according to a predetermined pattern.

16. A sewing machine comprising means for moving a base fabric in a substantially continuous relatively linear path through said machine, a pair of needles arranged in tandem with respect to the line of travel of said base fabric for sewing yarn intermediate the edges of said fabric, means for individually supplying yarn from individual sources to each of said needles, continuously reciprocating means reciprocated in timed relationship to the movement of said base fabric to said machine and means for selectively coupling and uncoupling said needles and said reciprocating means for rendering said needles operative and inoperative during the reciprocation of said reciprocating means for inserting said yarn through said base fabric as said base fabric is passed beneath said needles in its essentially linear path, said needles both selectively sewing only in a single longitudinal row along said fabric as said fabric passes beneath said needles.

17. A sewing machine comprising means for moving a base fabric in a substantially continuous, relatively linear path through said machine, a plurality of individual needles in a pair of transverse rows with respect to the path of travel of said base fabric, the needles in each row of needles being also aligned longitudinally with the needles of the other row of needles to form pairs of needles in tandem with respect to the line of travel of said fabric for sewing yarn intermediate the edges of said fabric, means for individually supplying yarn from different sources to each of said needles, and means timed with the travel of said base fabric through said machine for selectively operating said individual needles so that each pair of needles sews a single longitudinal row of yarn in continuous sequence along said fabric.

18. In a method of forming patterns with different yarns in a base fabric, the steps of substantially continuously fee-ding said base fabric along a line of travel in a given direction, simultaneously inserting in transverse alignment and in timed relationship to the feeding of said base fabric a plurality of yarns of selected colors into said base fabric to form successive transverse parallel rows of tufts, while varying between successive insertions the transverse spacing between adjacent tufts in each row, according to a prescribed pattern, and, in timed relationship to the feeding of said base fabric, simultaneously inserting additional yarns of the other selected colors in said base fabric in the spaces between said adjacent tufts according to said prescribed pattern to produce a continuous multicolored surface of tufts in which said prescribed pattern is defined by said yarns of selected colors and said yarns of other selected colors, the step of inserting additional yarns including aligning the yarns of other selected colors with and interspersing said yarns of other selected colors between said yarns of said selected colors along the line of travel of said base fabric.

19. In a tufting machine, roller means for substantially continuously feeding a base fabric at a predetermined rate in a selected direction therethrough, a plurality of needles reciprocatable in timed relationship tosaid roller means and arranged in succession and longitudinally of the line of travel of said fabric, means for supplying tufting yarn to each needle individually, and means for individually actuating each of said needles, said means being operable to provide a continuous succession of operations of said individual needles to produce a continuous row of tufts along said base fabric.

20. In a tufting machine, means for substantially continuously feeding in a given direction a base fabric therethrough, a plurality of needles arranged in succession and longitudinally of the line of travel of said fabric, means for supplying individual types of tufting yarn to each individual needle, and control means timed with the feed of said fabric for individually actuating each of said needles, and pattern forming means operable to control said control means to provide a continuous succession of operations of said needles for producing a single continuous uniform line of tufting from the individual yarns of the individual needles to produce a continuous row of tufts along said base fabric.

21. In a tufting machine, means for substantially continuously feeding a base fabric at a predetermined rate in a relatively linear path therethrough, a plurality of needles arranged in succession and longitudinally of the line of travel of said fabric, means for supplying different types of tufting yarn to said needles, needle actuating means disposed between said needles and timed with said means for feeding said base fabric, and automatic control means for individually connecting and disconnecting each of said needles to said actuating means according to a prescribed pattern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 438,427 Rehfuss et al Oct. 14, 1890 521,982 Judson June 26, 1894 876,562 Kleutgen Jan. 14, 1908 1,379,468 Matson May 24, 1921 1,510,246 Sharaf Sept. 30, 1924 1,588,030 Kerr June 8, 1926 1,676,853 Brase July 10, 1928 1,695,680 Card Dec. 18, 1928 1,830,463 Foster Nov. 3, 1931 1,899,303 Basso Feb. 28, 1933 1,984,330 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 1,984,331 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 1,984,332 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 1,997,869 Loos Apr. 16, 1935 (Other references on following page) 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS Boyce June 11, 1935 Chinnici et a1 Feb. 3, 1942 Cobble et a1. Nov. 30, 1943 Hamrick Nov. 19, 1946 5 Boyer Jan, 31, 1950 Crawford June 5, 1951 Hamby -1 May 6, 1952 Caspar Aug. 13, 1953 Lacey Dec. 15, 1953 10 Wear Dec. 7, 1954 Rice Octp16, 1956 Lombard Oct. 30, 1956 MacCaff-ry Mar. '12, 1957 Wear Apr. 29, 1958 McCutchen Mar. 31, 1959 Hoeselbarth Apr. 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland June 16, 1925 

1. IN A TUFTING MACHINE, MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY IN A GIVEN DIRECTION FEEDING A BASE FABRIC THERETHROUGH, A PLURALITY OF SETS OF PLURAL NEEDLES, SAID SETS OF NEEDLES BEING ARRANGED IN SIDE BY SIDE RELATION, THE NEEDLES OF EACH SET BEING ARRANGED IN SUCCESSION IN THE LINE OF TRAVEL OF SAID FABRIC, MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY SUPPLYING TUFTING YARN TO EACH NEEDLE OF EACH SET, AND PATTERN CONTROL MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY ACTUATING EACH OF SAID NEEDLES OF EACH SET TO PRODUCE A CONTINUOUS ROW OF TUFTS ALONG SAID BASE FABRIC. 